Marlin 1894 44mag 5" groups, help

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Marlin rifles for too many years have been sold with fat throats and barrels. Ranch Dog Molds were designed to "fix" the issue.
Those originals have been copied by several mold makers that advertise here. Fat noses to fill the throat and fat diameters to keep the pressure to the rear of the lead slug piston. Large flats on the nose give good energy transfer on target.
Push them hard and fast and they normally will produce.

Especially in the Marlin 44 mag barrels you are faced with that slow twist. The faster you push the slug the more rotation speed is transferred to the bullet giving better stability down range. Happily the 41 mag has a 1-20 twist.
Mike in Peru

[17nut]

[Prairie Cowboy]

Yes, I just bought a .44 magnum 1894, and the barrel does slug out to .4315", which is pretty typical.
Marlin deliberately over-bores them to reduce chamber pressures. SAAMI spec for .44 marlin rifles allows a .432" bore.
My hand loads with .430" 240 grain Hornaday XTPs and 18.5 grains of 2400 produces a group of about 3 1/2" at 50 yards. I had read that Speer JSPs will "bump up" better than the XTPs and produce better accuracy.

A .433" cast bullet is what's needed, as long as the chamber will allow the fatter cartridge to chamber.

By comparison, my 1894 Cowboy in .45 Colt is able to produce 1" groups at 50 yards with open sights using standard low velocity American Eagle 225 grain JSP ammo.

[lar45]

I picked up some 240XTPs and with 20gn 2400 shot this group at 75 yds.

[725]

For tight spots in a few barrels I've delt with, I've fire-lapped 'em with FLITZ and jacketed bullets.